Bengali marriages – Rituals and Customs – Pre Wedding

The pre-wedding ritual starts with Ashirbaad- As the name suggests it is kind of a informal ceremony where the elders of the groom and the bride’s family visit each other’s house on a stipulated date to bless the bride and the groom with some token like gold ornaments as a gesture of their love and acceptance.

Aai Budo Bhaat – If the name reminds you of old age pathos, then don’t worry, for this custom has nothing to do with age. It’s in fact regarded as a Bengali version of the American Bachelorette party where the respective bride and groom is fed all his favorite dishes in the company of friends and family members

Dodhi Mangal – this ceremony is performed at the crack of the dawn, near a water body, inviting goddess ganga to preside over the matrimonial alliance. You will be surprised to know that the bride and the groom are supposed to have no meal after the food served to them on dodhi mangal. Sounds cruel… Well we can only agree enough!

Gye Halud – Literally as the name goes it means shimmering the bride and the groom with turmeric paste so that their complexion glows. Beautiful decorative gifts known as “gaye halud takto” is given to the relatives of both the sides on gaye halud